THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PEOPLE ‘YOU’ CAN BLESS

Everywhere you go these days, people are hurting and discouraged; many have made mistakes; their lives are in a mess. They need to feel God’s COMPASSION and His unconditional LOVE. Is YOUR heart of compassion open to them? Do you take time to make a difference in OTHERS’ lives? God has given you a heart of COMPASSION, but you must decide to keep it OPEN and allow the love of God to flow through you to those AROUND you. In order to experience God’s abundant LIFE, you must keep your FOCUS on helping OTHER people. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you so busy that you overlook the needs of those AROUND you. Make a decision to show God’s love and goodness WHEREVER you go. Be on the LOOKOUT for people you can BLESS. Go out of your way to show God’s COMPASSION, and as you do, YOU will rise HIGHER and experience the BEST plan God has for YOUR life!

Today’s Scripture:

But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

(1 John 3:17, NASB)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD’S MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING…..

You may have made a lot of mistakes, but the GOOD news is, you don’t have to carry that around with you. That’s part of what the Scripture means when it says that God’s MERCIES are new every morning. God’s MERCY and FORGIVENESS are available to you EVERY day. His COMPASSIONS NEVER fail. He makes a fresh NEW batch every single morning. Do you know why? Because He knew you were going to use up all that He made yesterday! That means that as soon as you call on Him and REPENT and change your ways, God pours out His COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS. Simply open your heart and RECEIVE it. Do you feel like there’s something between you and God right NOW? Take a moment and call on His FAITHFULNESS. Call on His MERCY. Ask for His FORGIVENESS. Don’t carry around YESTERDAY’S mistakes ANY longer. Let Him REFRESH and RESTORE your soul right NOW. PRAISE Him and THANK Him for the work He is doing in your life and enjoy a fresh, NEW beginning TODAY!

Today’s Scripture:

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning…

(Lamentations 3:22–23, NKJV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GIVE THANKS TO GOD IN ADVANCE FOR WHAT HE’S ‘GOING’ TO DO

God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations—that his heirs would outnumber the stars in the sky. Abraham waited twenty YEARS to see his promise. I’m sure there were many times he thought, “I must not have HEARD God right. It’s NEVER going to happen. Besides, I’m too OLD to have a child.” But the Bible says, “He grew strong in FAITH by giving PRAISE and THANKSGIVING to God.” Instead of complaining, I can hear him saying, “Father, I want to THANK You that You are at WORK in my life. Even though this LOOKS impossible, I know You always FINISH what You start. Thank You that my child IS on the way.” PRAISE, is a supernatural FORCE that causes you to stand strong in FAITH even when your thoughts or circumstances are coming AGAINST the truth. All throughout the day, THANK God in ADVANCE for what He’s GOING to do. When you DO, just like Abraham, you will be EMPOWERED by FAITH to see the fulfillment of the PROMISE!

Today’s Scripture:

But he did not doubt or waver in unbelief concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and empowered by faith, giving glory to God.

Romans 4:20, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

TALK TO GOD ABOUT EVERYTHING, BECAUSE NOTHING IS TOO SMALL FOR HIM

We hear all the time that NOTHING is too BIG for God. But have you ever thought that a problem was too SMALL for God? Are there things in your life that you haven’t prayed about simply because you thought it didn’t MATTER to God? EVERY detail of your life is important to God. He knows the very number of hairs you have on your HEAD! That’s pretty AMAZING to think about. If He keeps track of every hair that falls from your head, SURELY He cares about the things that YOU care about. He wants to be INVOLVED in EVERY area of your life—not just the BIG things, but the SMALL things, TOO. Don’t wait until you have a MAJOR crisis to pray, and don’t hold BACK. You’re not inconveniencing God. You’re the apple of His eye. Open your heart and talk to Him about EVERYTHING because NOTHING is too small for Him!

Today’s Scripture:

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Matthew 10:30, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

STAY ON THE HIGH ROAD, THAT’S WHEN THE GOODNESS OF GOD WILL OVERCOME

God says we OVERCOME evil with GOOD, but what does that look like in the daily life of a BELIEVER? One way we overcome evil is by LOVING the unlovable. It’s easy to be good to people who are good to US. But the REAL test is how you treat those who have done you WRONG. The UNLOVABLE could be a COWORKER who left you out of a meeting, the FREIND who wasn’t there when you needed them, or that person who cut you off in TRAFFIC. You don’t OVERCOME disrespect with MORE disrespect, or overcome insult with insult, or overcome shouting with more shouting. You do it by staying on the HIGH road and being GOOD to those who don’t DESERVE it. You’re saying, “God, I may not understand it. It wasn’t fair, but I CHOOSE to FORGIVE them, knowing YOU are my vindicator.” When you stay on the HIGH road, you remain RESPECTFUL, you stay in PEACE, and that’s when the GOODNESS of God WILL OVERCOME.

Today’s Scripture:

“Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21, AMP

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

HOLD ON TO HOPE AND WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO

Jesus is always on a mission of LIFE. He wants to bring life to your SPIRIT, life to your DREAMS, life to your FINANCES, life to your RELATIONSHIPS, and EVERY area of your existence. He is always working behind the scenes; He is always out for your GOOD. Things may not always BE good, but that just means it isn’t over yet. We can hold on to hope today because He who promised is FAITHFUL. We CAN’T lose if we don’t quit!

The thief in today’s scripture is the enemy, the devil. He will do his best to knock you down and get you to quit. But, scripture says that Jesus has already OVERCOME him and his ability to harm you! The key is, DON’T GIVE UP! You have to keep STANDING, keep BELIEVING, keep PRAYING and keep HOPING in God until you see the VICTORY! Don’t let your THOUGHTS drift down to the worst case scenario. Instead, set your mind on HOPE! Speak words of FAITH. Declare that the answer IS on the way. Hold on to hope and watch what God will do in YOUR life!

Today’s Scripture:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

(John 10:10, ESV)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

MAKE TIME TODAY, AND EVERY DAY TO GET ALONE, AND GET IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS…..

Sometimes, it’s easy to get wrapped up in taking care of the people AROUND us. You may find that you’re always GIVING, taking care of the children, working overtime at the office, or helping that friend who is struggling. And that’s ALL good. But if you’re not careful, you can end up feeling rundown. That’s why you have to take time EVERY DAY to get filled back UP. Your FIRST priority should be taking care of yourself and making time to get into the presence of JESUS. Throughout Scripture, we see that in God’s presence there is fullness of JOY, fullness of PEACE and fullness of VICTORY. In His presence, you’re REFRESHED and RESTORED. That’s why it’s so important to take time every day to read your BIBLE and meditate on His PROMISES. We have to be DILIGENT to have that QUIET TIME with Him. Today, take time to get ALONE with God and just say, “God, I love You today. Thank You for my LIFE, for my FAMILY, for the OPPORTUNITIES You’ve given me. Lord, I know every GOOD thing comes from YOU.” When you live like THAT, with your mind filled with His Word and His THOUGHTS toward you, you’ll be REFRESHED, RESTORED, re-RE-ENERGIZED and filled UP for the JOURNEY of life!

Today’s Scripture:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5:6, TLV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISES BY FAITH, AND WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER WILL BE YOURS

Has God spoken things to your heart that haven’t come to pass yet? Sometimes when we are BELIEVING for things, it’s easy to become discouraged when it doesn’t happen according to OUR timetable. But when you make the CHOICE to receive your promise by PICTURING it in your mind’s eye and DECLARING it with the words of your mouth, your FAITH becomes STRONGER. You begin to have JOY and PEACE because you know God IS working behind the scenes on your behalf. What are YOU believing for God to do in YOUR life? See it in your mind’s eye. See yourself HEALED. See yourself paying off that last DEBT. As you allow God’s thoughts to become YOUR thoughts and receive His promises by FAITH, just like it says in today’s verse, whatever you ask for in prayer WILL be yours!

Today’s Scripture:

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Mark 11:24, NIV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

GOD LOVES TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG YOU YOUR BEHALF

Do you need God’s strength to CONQUER something in your life today? Maybe you need strength to FORGIVE or to OVERCOME an addiction. Maybe you need strength to deal with a difficult PERSON in the office. No matter what you may be facing, God desires to give you His SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH in EVERY situation. It’s interesting that one translation of this verse says, “because God SMILED upon them and FAVORED them.” Did you know that simply calling on God causes Him to SMILE on you? Because you are His child, you have His FAVOR! God LOVES to show Himself strong on your behalf. Be STRONG in the Lord knowing that He IS with you, SMILING upon you, and showering you with His FAVOR. As you meditate on this promise, you will be strengthened to overcome EVERY obstacle, and you will live a life of VICTORY!

Today’s Scripture:

For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them.

Psalm 44:3, NKJV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU A NEW, BETTER FUTURE

Prisoner of hope means that you can’t get away from it. You’re HELD by hope. A prisoner of hope is someone who has an attitude of FAITH and EXPECTANCY even when things are bad because God has promised to RESTORE what was lost . . . and far MORE. That’s a great word of HOPE you can hold ON to! It means your HEALTH, your JOB situation, and your FINANCES may not be what you WANT them to be today, but they are all subject to CHANGE! God wants to RESTORE these things to you—not just the way they were BEFORE—but with MORE so that you are better off than when you began. No matter where you are TODAY or what happened to you YESTERDAY, God wants to give you a NEW future filled with JOY, FULFILLMENT and ABUNDANCE.

Today’s Scripture:

“Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.”

Zechariah 9:12, ESV